TASHKENT, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and visiting Tajik President Emomali Rahmon agreed Thursday to deepen their countries' partnership and alliance relations.
Rahmon arrived in Tashkent earlier on Thursday for a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan. The two leaders held talks on cooperation in trade, energy and water resources, and discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, according to the presidential press offices of both countries.
Mirziyoyev said at a joint news briefing after the talks that Tajikistan is a reliable strategic partner and ally of Uzbekistan, adding that bilateral relations are developing across political, economic and humanitarian areas.
Rahmon welcomed the growth in bilateral trade, saying expanding economic cooperation remains a key priority on the bilateral agenda, and stressed the importance of maintaining regular political dialogue to advance cooperation in all fields.
Following the meeting, the two leaders signed a joint statement on strengthening strategic partnership and alliance relations. The two countries signed a plan to raise bilateral trade to 2 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, along with an industrial cooperation agreement. ■